Adjustable support.



Patented Aug. 5, I902.

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Unrrn STATES PATENT OFFICE:

ANDREW FLEMING, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

ADJUSTABLE SUPPORT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 706,228, dated August 5, 1902.

Serial No. 64,158. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that LANDREW FLEMINe,a citizen of the United States, residing at Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Leaf-Holder, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to leaf-holders, and While particularly intended for use in connection with an adjustable holder for books, papers, and the like it will be readily understood that it may be employed in varione other ways.

The object of the invention is to provide a novel leaf or sheet holding'device which can be adjusted to various positions upon the rack with which it is used, so that it will accommodate itself to different kinds of articles held and at the same time will not be in the way of the person using the same.

In the accompanying drawings the invention is shown as applied to an adjustable desk-top of the class disclosed in my previous patent, No. 578,325, and dated March 9, 1897. The construction and operation are also fully described in the following specification. The construction here set forth is at present considered preferable, although it will be understood that such changes may be made therefrom as are within the scope of the appended claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the rear of the support. Fig. 2 is a front perspective view of the same. Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view. Fig. sis a detail perspective view of one of the pivots. Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of the upper portion of the leaf-holder.

Similar numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawings.

The device, .as shown, to which the novel leaf-holder is applied, comprises a base member 10, to which is pivotally connected a supporting member 11, that is arranged to be held at different inclinations with respect to the base member by means of a holding device, (designated as a whole by the reference-numeral 12.) The base member 10 is preferably in the form of an open rectangular frame, which may be supported upon rubber feet 13. One edge of this frame is pivoted, by means of the hinges 14, to the support -clearly shown in Fig. 1.

preferably constructed in the following man I nor: A rectangular bail, consisting of side arms 18, connected by a cross-bar 19, is provided at its ends with eyes 20, through which are passed pivotpins 21, that engage in the opposing inner edges of the end bars of the base. The cross-bar 19 is arranged to engage in the corrugations of the rack-bar, as For the purpose of urging said bar into such engagement coiled springs 22 surround the pivot-pins 21 and have offset arms 23, the terminals of which.

are provided with hooks 24, that engage the side arms 18 of the bail and urge said bail in the direction of the platform, and thus into engagement with the rack-bar. This bail is made of suitable size, so that it can be folded snugly within the base-frame, and thus permit the compact folding of the device.

The leaf-holder forming the subject-matter of the present case is designated as a whole by the reference-numeral 25, and consists of an outwardly-curved supporting-stem 26, one end of which is coiled into a spring 27, the free terminal 28 of which passes through a suitable socket 29, located, preferably, in the lower portion of the platform. By this means the stem has a free pivotal movement, so that it can be moved through the arc of a circle, and in order that the ledge may not interfere with the free movement it is cut away, as shown at 30. The free end of the stem is provided with an eye 31, in which is rotatably mounted a cross-arm 32. The cross-arm is preferably constructed of a single piece of wire, the arms being formed by the loops 33 and an intermediate portion being upset to form an ear 34, that is passed through the eye 31 of the stem. The ends of the wire are ofiset to form keepers 35, which are passed through this ear 34, and thus hold the crossarm securely in place, but permit of the desired rotation.

The operation of the device will be readily apparent. Assuming that it is in folded position, it is only necessary to place the base upon a desk, table, or other support and draw upwardly upon the platform. As said platform is raised from the base the springs bearing against the holding device will keep the same in engagement with the rack-bar, which will ride over and drop behind the shoulders. When the desired adjustment has been reached, said springs will hold the device behind the proper shoulders, and there is no danger of retrograde movement on the part of the platform. The book or paper to be held is then placed upon the ledge and is held in flat open position by means of the leafholder, which may be shifted from side to side, as may also the cross-arm. The advantages of this device will be apparent.

The leaf-holder may be adjusted to various positions upon the platform or rack, so that any portion of the material held can be left in exposed position.

From the foregoing it is thought that the construction, operation, and many advantages of the herein=described invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art without further description, and it will be understood that various changes in the size, shape, proportion, and minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination with a rack, of a stem having a spring at one end and an eye at the other, said spring being secured to the rack, and a cross-bar rotatably mounted intermediate its ends in the eye of the stem.

2. The combination with a rack, of a stem having a yielding and pivotal connection at one end with the rack and provided at its other end with an eye, a cross-arm having an ear that passes through the eye of the stem, and a keeper passing through the ear of the cross-arm to hold it in place.

3. The combination with a rack, of a stem having a yielding and pivotal connection at one end with the rack and provided at its other end with an eye, and a cross-arm comprising a single piece of metal bent to form a pair of loops and an intermediate offset ear that passes through the eye of the stem, the terminals of said metal piece passing through the offset ear thereof to hold the cross-arm in place.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses,

ANDREW FLEMING.

Witnesses:

CARRIE ORR FLEMING, ED. 8. RIMER. 

